BOSTON — The Red Sox are all alone with baseball’s worst record. Their 2-9 mark matches the worst start in club history. Their status as a World Series favorite is fading.

A somber Jon Lester managed to find a bright spot after the Tampa Bay Rays broke a tie for the bottom spot in the American League with a 3-2 win on Tuesday night as David Price outpitched Boston’s ace.

Additional Photos

Tampa Bay catcher Kelly Shoppach throws the ball back to the pitcher as Boston’s Kevin Youkilis argues a third-strike call with the plate umpire Tuesday night in the Rays’ 3-2 victory. The Associated Press

“It’ll come,” Lester said. “It’s obviously not what we wanted right now, but there’s too much talent in that clubhouse to be where we’re at right now.”

There are offseason pickups Carl Crawford, who has struggled all season, and Adrian Gonzalez, who went 0 for 4 on Tuesday. These Red Sox look nothing like the club that seemed to have one of the best lineups and rotations in baseball.

But Price (1-2) is a tough opponent for any team.

“We were facing one of the better guys in the league tonight, just like they were,” Boston Manager Terry Francona said. “We didn’t go into the game thinking we were going to knock him around the ballpark.”

Tampa Bay, which rolled to a 16-5 win Monday night, can complete a series sweep tonight. Boston also started at 2-9 in 1925, 1927 and 1996, according to STATS LLC.

Price allowed five hits in 72/3 innings with three strikeouts and two walks. He left with runners at first and second and reliever Joel Peralta ended the eighth by getting Jed Lowrie to fly out. Kyle Farnsworth worked a perfect ninth against three pinch hitters, striking out Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew and retiring David Ortiz on a fly ball to earn his second save of the year and 28th of his career.

“I thought we played really good,” Lester said. “If our record wasn’t what it is right now, I don’t think, really, too many guys would be worrying about tonight. But, obviously we know what we’re up against.”

Lester (0-1) pitched well for his second straight outing but remained winless.

The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the third on Darnell McDonald’s first homer of the season.

Tampa Bay scored three times in the fifth. Sam Fuld, who had two doubles, a triple and a homer on Monday, drove in the Rays’ first run with a dribbler down the first-base line.

The Rays had loaded the bases with one out on singles by Kelly Shoppach, Dan Johnson and Elliott Johnson. Fuld then hit the ball to first baseman Gonzalez, who charged it and threw to catcher Jason Varitek for an attempted forceout. But umpire Jeff Nelson ruled Shoppach beat the throw.

Johnny Damon followed with a two-run double before B.J. Upton grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Red Sox had been outhomered 21-5 this season before McDonald’s long drive to left.

Boston scored once in the sixth and left the potential tying run at second base. Dustin Pedroia led off with a double, took third on Gonzalez’s groundout – a hard liner that caromed off Price’s upper thigh – and scored on Lowrie’s second double of the game, making it 3-2. But Mike Cameron was retired on a hard grounder to third baseman Felipe Lopez.

“That was just a good baseball game, all in all,” Price said. “Whenever you’re going against a guy like Jon Lester and you’re facing a lineup like the Boston Red Sox you’ve got to come ready to play, and I really feel like both teams did.”

Price retired the side in order in the seventh and got Crawford to fly out to start the eighth. Pedroia walked and took second on Gonzalez’s groundout before Kevin Youkilis was hit by Price’s last pitch of the game.

Lowrie then hit a fly ball to center fielder Upton.

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